Can Action Research Strengthen Democratic Dimensions in Gender Mainstreaming Processes?

• Can Action Research Strengthen Democratic Dimensions in Gender Mainstreaming processes and procedures? This chapter explores how an Action Research approach and methodology can promote more democratic processes and practices in a gender mainstreaming change- and development case study. Gender and equality dimensions can on the other hand, the author argues, strengthen and extend democratic empowerment and deliberating ambitions in action research.The empirical base is the experiences from a case study in a large Swedish innovation system organized as a Triple Helix model and a Mode II science approach. The innovation system consists of 7 industrial partners and 5 technical academic divisions.The first part gives a short background to action research elements within earlier Swedish (and partly Nordic) gender and feminist research until today. The second main part draws on empirical data and findings in a ‘successful’ case study in the above mentioned innovation system. It explores embedded participative processes, learning procedures and theoretical inputs in relation to democratic dimensions relating to an action research approach. The final part scrutinizes challenges for action research with a democratic ambition when embedded in large Triple Helix systems. It discusses the concept of “robustness in science” by Novotny, Scott and Gibbons, the “governing” participatory ambition of the funding agent. It discusses the reflexivity perspective on researchers’ – participants’ dilemmas in creating a space with allows critical edge that allows for telling unwelcome truths (Kemmis,2006).

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik -- Annan maskinteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering -- Other Mechanical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Computer Aided Design

Datorstödd maskinkonstruktion

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kap (ämneskategori)